


The Captive Prince

by Story_Teller_Of_Untold_Legends



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Dragons, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Injury, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Violence, kinda slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-02-17 20:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13084755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Story_Teller_Of_Untold_Legends/pseuds/Story_Teller_Of_Untold_Legends
Summary: Prince Roman and Prince Logan are twin brothers who are soon to be kings. But when a dragon takes Prince Logan captive, Prince Roman and the head of the royal guard, Patton, must venture off to save him.





	1. Taken

Prince Logan sat beneath the tree in the castle courtyard, reading his book. Or, at least he was trying to. His twin brother, Roman, was practicing his swordsmanship, and the glinting of his sword in the sun made it hard to focus on his book.

“Little brother! You said you were actually going to try wielding a sword today!” Roman protested, walking over to the tree Logan was seated under. Logan sighed and set his book down.

“Roman. We are twins, and you are merely a minute or two older than I am. And I have told you several times before, my time is better being used to increase my knowledge, rather than my fighting. Something you should consider,” Logan scoffed. Roman made an incredulous, offended sound and rolled his eyes.

“Logan, we are going to be kings soon. And a good king should know how to fight,” Roman protested. Logan frowned. In some respects, Roman was right. Their coronation was tomorrow, and since they were twins, they were to rule the kingdom together.

“Yes, you do have a point, but a good king should also be wise,” Logan reprimanded.

“Guess we’ll balance each other out, huh?” Roman replied, chuckling slightly. Logan gave a small smile in return.

“I suppose so,” Logan replied, picking up his book once more. Roman sighed, sheathed his sword, and sat down next to Logan. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't look up from his book.

“Can you believe that tomorrow we'll be kings?” Roman asked, voice low and soft. Logan looked up from his book and glanced at his brother’s face. Logan set his book down again when he saw that Roman’s eyes were watering. He reached out and awkwardly placed a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“I miss them too, Roman,” Logan said quietly. About four years ago, their parents, King Alastair and Queen Lucina, were killed by an attack from a vicious clan of dragons. The kingdom had since been run by a council of advisors until the two princes had come of age.

“I know. As much as I’ve dreamed of the day where we would rule the kingdom, I’m honestly not sure if I’m ready. I wanted to have so many more adventures, Logan,” Roman replied wistfully. Logan gave a small smile and shook his head.

“You know we don’t both have to be in the kingdom all of the time, right? I can always stay behind while you go off on adventures. Maybe you could even bring along a certain captain of the royal guard you’re so infatuated with?” Logan said, a teasing edge to his voice. Roman’s cheeks grew pink, as did the tips of his ears.

“I’m not ‘infatuated’ with Patton! I merely find him an excellent swordsman and a good friend!” he protested. A smirk grew over Logan’s face.

“Sure you aren’t. Now what was it you said the other day? He has eyes that are a warm brown, like cinnamon? And that his smile could outshine even the sunniest day, and he has a heart of gold?” Logan taunted, his eyes practically glowing with a mischievous light from behind his glasses.

“I- I was merely... m-m-making observations!” Roman stuttered. Logan rolled his eyes, picked up his book, and stood up.

“Well, I’ll leave you to your utter denial. I’m off to the library,” Logan said, turning on his heel and walking back to the castle. Roman let out a groan of frustration and ran a hand through his hair. He stood up once more, and unsheathed his sword. A little more practice couldn’t hurt.

* * *

Roman wasn’t sure how long he had been practicing with his sword when he heard it. A dragon’s roar. He glanced around frantically, his mind flashing back to the awful memories of that night the castle was attacked, and his parents died. However, when he looked up to the skies, there was nothing to be seen. Roman shook his head and let out a nervous chuckle. The stress and anticipation of the coronation tomorrow had him hearing things.

He returned into a fighting stance, and continued to practice with his sword. A few more minutes passed by, and he heard it again, and this time it was joined by the earth shaking. He looked around again, and that’s when he saw it. There was a dragon perched on one of the castle towers. It had black scales with shimmering purple details, and black and purple leathery bat-like wings. It had razor sharp claws that dug into the tower, and it had jagged spikes running down its back. Its eyes were a vibrant and glowing purple, and there were two long and curly horns protruding from either side of the beast’s head. A strange dark purple smoke was seeping out from in between the jagged teeth and from the creature’s nostrils.

However, the dragon’s appearance wasn’t what made Roman’s blood freeze in his veins. It was the fact that the tower the dragon was perched on was the library tower. Roman made a beeline to the tower, ignoring the people shouting out warnings to him. None of that mattered, when his brother Logan was most likely still inside the library.

He soon made it inside the tower, and he proceeded to climb up the stairs all the way to the top. As the top of the tower was Logan’s favorite place to be, Roman knew he would be there. Unfortunately, that was where the dragon was as well. Roman just hoped he wasn’t too late.

Roman made it up the stairs, breathing heavily, but he had his sword at the ready. His heart leapt into his throat as he took in the appearance of the library. The shelves were in disarray, books and papers were scattered everywhere, but the worst sight was in the center of the room. Logan was hanging limply from the dragon’s claws, blood trickling down the side of his head.

“Let him go, you foul beast!” Roman shouted at the dragon, brandishing his sword. The dragon’s large head swiveled towards him, and fixed him with an almost mocking glare.

“Well. I thought I was going to have to go searching for the other prince,” the dragon rumbled, voice low and distorted. The color drained from Roman’s face. The dragon could talk?! Roman was so stunned by this fact that he didn’t see the dragon’s tail sweeping towards him until it was too late. The tail hit him square in the chest, sending him flying backwards and onto his back with a loud thump. He tried to get back to his feet, but the dragon’s clawed foot pinned him to the ground. A pained groan slipped past his lips as he struggled to get free.

“It’s almost cute, how you humans struggle even when it’s pointless,” the dragon taunted, pressing down harder. A sickening snap was heard, and Roman cried out in pain. Something akin to a frown came over the dragon’s features.

“Hmm. I forgot how fragile you humans are- augh!” the dragon muttered, but suddenly gave out a pained roar. It immediately took its clawed foot off of Roman’s chest and stumbled backwards. Roman took in a shuddering gasp of air, blinking rapidly to clear the spots in his vision. He gingerly pushed himself into a sitting position and tried to figure out what the heck just happened. He then saw Patton, the head of the royal guard, determination set in his features and holding his bloodied sword in a defensive stance. The dragon had a gaping wound in one of its back legs, while Logan was still loosely dangling from the dragon’s grip.

“This isn’t over,” the dragon growled, and with that, it took off and flew out of the hole in the roof of the tower, with Logan in tow.

“No!” Roman screamed, scrambling to his feet. However, the moment he did so, everything seemed to spin and he felt a hot, sharp pain in his side. Roman let out a cry of pain, and his knees buckled. He would have fallen flat on his face if it hadn’t been for Patton suddenly rushing to his side and catching him in his arms.

“Whoa, take it easy, your majesty. You are severely injured and are in no shape to chase after your brother,” Patton gently ordered.

“I’m a prince.. you can’t tell me what to- ahh!” Roman protested weakly, crying out in pain when his side was jostled slightly.

“Sorry, your majesty. Just try to hold on, I’ll get you to a medic,” Patton said, shifting Roman in his arms so he was carrying him. Spots danced in Roman’s vision as everything spun faster around him. He groaned, and his eyes started to flutter closed.

“Prince Roman?! Roman, please-” came Patton’s distressed cry, but everything sounded as if it was underwater. He met Patton’s concerned gaze, and the next thing Roman knew was darkness.


	2. Vengeance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dragon returns to his clan, and Logan wakes up in a strange place.

The dragon flew a little unsteadily in the sky, nearly losing the grip he had on the scholarly prince. That stab wound had taken a bigger toll on the dragon than he had expected. Still, all the same, the dragon flew on. His clan would be disappointed enough as it is, considering he hadn’t succeeded in capturing both of the princes, so getting back to the clan’s mountain as soon as possible was his number one priority.

The dragon soon reached the mountain, where the was the mouth of a large cave at the top. He flew in, and landed rather clumsily in the cave. A man dressed in a strange dark green tunic that seemed to be made of scales walked up to the injured dragon, looking at him and the prince in his claws with what seemed to be disappointment.

“Virgil. What on earth took so long? And why did you only bring one of the princes?” the man asked coldly. There suddenly was a vibrant purple light, and the dragon was gone. In its place stood a man wearing a tunic similar to the other man's, except that it was dark purple instead of green. He had the prince slung over one shoulder, and he was standing semi-awkwardly, leaning to one side because of his injured leg.

“I ran into a bit of an issue with the head of the royal guard,” Virgil said, gesturing at his injured leg. The other man's face twisted into a scowl.

“You were only taken down by one guard? I didn't raise my son to be so weak,” he snarled. Virgil flinched at his father's tone of voice.

“He was the head of the royal guard, which means he was very skilled and very determined to protect what’s left of the royal family. I was lucky I got away with the one prince,” Virgil protested. His father fixed Virgil with a glare, then snapped his fingers. A few figures came out from the shadows, dressed similarly to Virgil and his father.

“Bring the prince to a holding cell, and take care of that disgrace that is my son,” he scoffed. Two of the figures took the prince from Virgil’s arms, and Virgil’s knees wobbled. He had lost a lot of blood already, and his adrenaline was fading fast. The third figure, who he recognized as his friend Talyn, stepped over to him, and just before his knees buckled, they wrapped an arm around his waist, and he put an arm around their shoulders.

“C’mon, Virge. Let’s get you patched up,” Talyn murmured. Virgil merely groaned in reply, and was led to an offshoot of the cave, leaning against Talyn the whole time. He was taken into a smaller cavern, one he groggily recognized as his room. They sat him down on the bed, and then proceeded to grab medical supplies from a small cabinet. They carefully cleaned out his wound, only pausing when Virgil winced every so often.

“I don’t get it, Virgil,” Talyn said.

“Don't get what?” Virgil asked. They finished cleaning his wound, and started to bandage his leg.

“Why your father treats you like scum. You tried your best, shouldn't that be enough?” Talyn fumed, accidentally securing the bandage too tightly. Virgil let out a yelp of pain, and Talyn’s expression softened.

“Sorry, Virge,” they apologized, and untied the bandage, then retied it so that it wasn't so snug.

“My father just wants me to be more like him,” Virgil replied, eyes downcast.

“But you are your own person. It’s not right of him to expect that of you,” Talyn said, finishing tending to Virgil’s wound.

“Nothing he does is ‘right’, Talyn. We just tried to kidnap both of the heirs to the throne of Solarius, and four years ago he killed King Alastair and Queen Lucina! And for what? To avenge mom?!” Virgil cried out, shooting up from his bed and slamming his fist against the cave wall. Talyn placed a comforting hand on Virgil’s shoulder, trying to get him to sit back down.

Years ago, when Virgil was just a child, his mother, Coralie, was the most powerful dragon-shifters in their clan. They were a peaceful clan of dragon-shifters, but were feared by many. When Queen Lucina stumbled into their cave by mistake, the surrounding kingdoms assumed the worst. King Alastair came to the cave himself, attacked and killed Coralie, and returned to Solarius with Queen Lucina. The inhabitants of Solarius were happy, except for the dragon-shifter clan that lived in the mountain. They mourned their chief, and her husband, Taurus, took over and swore to avenge his love. But he took it too far. He insisted that they should become the thing the people feared.

Virgil shook his head, clearing his head of the unhappy memories. He met Talyn’s eyes, which held concern and sympathy in them. He gave a half-hearted laugh, and sat back down. Talyn let out a sigh of relief, and sat next to Virgil on the bed.

“Sorry, Talyn. I just- I understand wanting to get back at the kingdom of Solarius, but isn’t this going too far? I mean, we’ve been plotting and attacking and all- all of this for about sixteen years now! I have been doing this since I was five years old, Talyn! Five. Years. Old. And I’m sick of it,” Virgil rambled, words bubbling out of his mouth like a volcano. Talyn awkwardly pulled Virgil into a one-armed hug.

“Maybe you should tell him that. You are next in line to be chief, after all. Your opinion should count for something,” Talyn murmured.

“Fat chance. He’d give me some lecture about being ‘ungrateful’ or something. He’d say that I should be ‘twice the dragon he was at his age,’” Virgil replied. Suddenly, there was a knocking at the cavern’s entrance, and another one of Virgil’s friends, Joan, came walking in.

“Joan? What’s up?” he asked, slipping out of Talyn’s embrace.

“Prince Logan is awake. Your dad wants you to be there,” they said. Virgil’s brow furrowed in confusion, but he stood up anyhow.

“Why?” Virgil asked.

“I’m not sure. He said something about intimidating the prince,” Joan replied, shrugging. Virgil sighed, and walked out of his room, limping slightly.

Virgil made his way to the cavern that had the holding cells. He saw his father, in dragon form. He had dark green scales, that glistened like emeralds if the light hit them just right. His leathery black wings were worn and ragged, scars crisscrossing over them. It was a wonder his father could fly at all, with all of his battle scars. He also had black jagged spikes trailing down his back, gleaming black claws, and black horns that protruded from either side of his head. They weren’t curly, like Virgil’s, but rather they were craggy and harsh, with one of them having been broken off as the result of a battle. If all of this wasn’t intimidating enough, he had dark, ebony eyes, that glistened like obsidian. Those eyes pierced through Virgil, scrutinizing him as he walked in.

“Virgil. Why don't you come and meet our… guest,” he said, jerking his head towards one of the cells. In it, was Prince Logan, standing tall and looking determined despite his current predicament. Virgil felt his heart thump in his chest, and he wasn't totally sure if it was because of his father.

“Whatever you're planning, it won't work. My brother will find me,” the prince said calmly. Virgil raised an eyebrow at the prince, surprised by his confidence. Virgil’s father laughed.

“That, Prince Logan, is precisely what I'm hoping for,” his father said.

“Why are you doing this?” Prince Logan demanded.

“Why don't you ask my son that,” he said, looking at Virgil expectantly. Virgil sighed internally. He shifted into his dragon form, and his heart clenched at the way the prince's eyes widened in fear, and how he stepped backwards.

“You're- you're the d-d-dragon that t-took me. Why did you do this?!” he stuttered, his confident facade now gone.

“Vengeance,” Virgil growled. A flicker of concern and sympathy passed over Prince Logan’s expression for the briefest of moments, but the fear soon came back. Suddenly, Virgil felt a strange feeling rising in his chest. It felt almost like… regret? Confusion? Either way, he didn’t like the way the prince looked at him. It made him feel… monstrous. A nagging voice in the back of his head told him that was because he was a monster, but he ignored it and decided that he had to get out of there. With one last snarl towards Prince Logan, just to convince his father that he wasn’t “going soft”, he stormed out of the cavern.

* * *

Prince Logan watched the dragon’s- Virgil’s- retreating form, confused, and frankly, a bit shaken up. He could have sworn that he saw fear in Virgil’s eerie purple eyes, but for what reason would he have to be scared? He wasn’t the one being held captive and being threatened by dragons. Then again, Virgil’s father didn’t seem to be exactly kind towards him. There seemed to be some sort of… animosity between them. At least, from what Logan could tell.

A snarl brought Logan out of his thoughts. He looked over to see the forest green dragon glaring at him with those obsidian eyes. Logan gulped, and tried to appear calm and confident, despite the fact that his heart was practically hammering out of his chest.

“I do hope you enjoy your stay, your majesty,” the dragon spat, saying Logan’s title in a mocking tone. And with that, the dragon turned around and stomped off, leaving Logan alone in his cell. Logan sank to his knees with a sigh. Guess there was nothing he could do, but wait.  


	3. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton is given orders from the council of advisors, and Roman wakes up.

Patton paced back and forth nervously outside the infirmary. Mere moments earlier, he had rushed Prince Roman from the library tower to the infirmary. The prince was badly injured, and his sudden state of unconsciousness threw Captain Patton into a panic. The medics had all but torn Prince Roman from his arms, and shooed him out of the infirmary. Now he waited outside it, anxiously fiddling with his armor and the sword sheathed at his side. Would the prince, whom he had sworn allegiance to, and accidentally gotten quite attached to, make it? And what of Prince Logan? It all too uncomfortably reminded Patton of the stories he had heard as a child, of Queen Lucina getting kidnapped by dragons, and King Alastair saving her.

The captain of the royal guard was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he didn't notice the figure walking towards him. They put a hand on Patton's shoulder, causing him to jump. Patton whirled around, hand on the hilt of his sword. His expression softened when he saw it was Thomas, one of the royal advisors.

“Sorry to startle you, Captain. I wanted to check in and see if there were any updates on the prince's condition,” Thomas said, removing his hand from Patton’s shoulder.

“Please, you can just call me Patton! And no, I've heard nothing yet,” Patton replied. Thomas’s brow furrowed in confusion at Patton’s insistence of not calling him by his title, but he nodded anyhow.

“Thank you, Capt- I mean, Patton. It was quite lucky that you arrived to the scene so quickly,” Thomas replied. A smile came to Patton’s lips.

“I happened to be out in the courtyard when I saw our brave prince running towards the library tower. Couldn’t let his majesty get himself hurt… although, I guess that did happen anyhow, huh?” Patton said a bit bashfully, fidgeting with his armor a bit. Thomas reached out again to place a consoling hand on Patton’s arm.

“It would have been a lot worse if you hadn’t been there. Oh, and speaking of the prince, I came here to tell you a decision the council has made,” Thomas said, fidgeting with the sleeves of his tunic slightly. Patton cocked his head to the side, confused.

“Yes?” Patton asked warily.

“If and when Prince Roman recovers, he is not allowed to go after his brother. He is the last remaining heir to the throne, and he needs to take on his responsibilities as king,” Thomas said.

“You say that like Prince Logan is dead,” Patton said, his usual cheery voice taking on an edge of coldness.

“Captain, we need to face facts. With every other encounter the kingdom of Solarius has had with dragons, it has ended with a member of the royal family dead,” Thomas replied sadly.

“What about the time Queen Lucina was taken? King Alastair saved her. No one died that time,” Patton protested.

“I’m sorry, Captain Patton. The council believes that it would be pointless to waste resources looking for Prince Logan,” he said, mouth set in a frown.

“Prince Roman won’t be happy with this,” Patton warned.

“I know. Which is why the council wants you to keep an eye on him. We don’t want him to try and sneak off and do something rash,” Thomas said.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving the prince’s side anytime soon, Thomas,” Patton said firmly. Thomas nodded, then turned around and walked away from Patton. Patton watched Thomas’s retreating form with a frown. How was he going to get Prince Roman to stay put? Not to mention the fact that Patton didn’t agree with the council’s decision. They couldn’t just give up on Prince Logan!

Patton sighed and resumed his pacing, which was now more with frustration then anxiousness. What on earth was he supposed to do? He didn’t want to stand idly by, but if he did something, he most likely would be demoted, or even worse, kicked from the royal guard entirely.

Suddenly, a medic came rushing out of the infirmary, and Patton’s pacing ceased almost immediately. He then walked over to her, eyes wide with concern, silently asking the question he couldn’t bear himself to ask.

“Prince Roman will make a full recovery. He’s awake now, and he’s asking for you,” she said. Patton let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you… ah, what is your name?” Patton asked.

“Valerie,” the medic replied.

“Thank you, Valerie,” Patton said, smiling and giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. Patton then walked into the infirmary, and his heart clenched when he saw Roman. He was lying on one of the cots in the infirmary, bandages wrapped around his abdomen, and his face was pallid. However, he gave his best attempt at a charming grin, which made Patton’s heart flutter ever so slightly.

“It’s good to see you awake, your majesty. How are you feeling?” Patton asked, walking over to his cot and sitting beside it.

“I’m fine. I’ll be better once I find my brother and bring him home safely,” Roman said, determination blazing in his eyes. Patton’s face fell at the prince’s words.

“I’m sorry, Prince Roman, but the council has made a decision. They want you to stay put, because you are the last remaining heir to the crown,” Patton said sadly. The expression that crossed the prince’s face broke Patton’s heart.

“I- I can’t just… you make it sound like Logan is dead, we can’t just give up on him!” Roman protested.

“I don’t really want to give up on Prince Logan either, but the council has made up their minds. I can’t disobey them,” Patton replied.

“Patton, you are sworn to the crown, correct?” Roman asked.

“Of course I am, your majesty!” Patton exclaimed. What on earth was Roman playing at?

“And you do realize that I, as a prince, are of higher status than the board of advisors?” Roman asked, mischievousness glinting in his eyes.

“Well yes, but-” Patton started, but was cut off by Roman speaking up again.

“If I were to give you a command, you would have to follow it,” Roman interjected.

“With all due respect, your majesty, I would only disobey one of your commands if it were to bring harm to yourself. My first priority is to protect you, Prince Roman,” Patton replied.

“Then that means if I were to hypothetically go on a quest to rescue my brother, then you would have no choice but to come along and protect me,” Roman said, grinning.

“B-but, your majesty! What about-” Patton protested, but Roman interrupted him once again.

“I would never allow the council to remove you from your position. You're too important to me. Besides, even if I were to do such a thing as go against the council's wishes, I would make it seem like it was all my idea. You wouldn't be held accountable whatsoever,” Roman assured him, and Patton's heart fluttered again. He was important? To Prince Roman? Well, Patton supposed it was only because he was the captain of the royal guard. There was no way the prince would even notice him if he was just another member of the royal guard.

“I- ah- thank you, your majesty. But I think that for right now, you should focus on resting,” Patton gently ordered. The prince let out a breathless laugh.

“I’m going to be king. I should be the one giving commands,” Roman joked half-heartedly. A smile was spread across his lips, but his eyes were melancholy and watering slightly.

“Prince Roman?” Patton asked softly. Roman winced slightly at the title.

“Please, can we… just talk as two people, and not as prince and captain? For just a moment?” Roman asked timidly.

“Of course, your maj- erm, I mean- Roman,” Patton replied, albeit a bit awkwardly.

“Thank you, Patton. I guess it’s just that- I don’t want to do this without Logan. How can I be king without my brother?” Roman said, voice cracking.

“Roman, from what I know of your brother, he is very wise and clever. I don’t think he’s truly gone. And even if he were to be, you’re never alone. There’s the council to guide you, and I will always be at your side, to serve and protect you,” Patton replied, voice passionate and determined. Roman’s eyes lit up with what Patton could have sworn was admiration in them. His breath hitched when Roman’s hand came up to gently caress his cheek. Patton’s heart was thundering in his chest, his eyes were wide, and he was very certain that he was blushing.

“My captain, may I-” Roman murmured, but was cut off by a faint roar and the castle shaking. Patton shot up from his seat, hand on the hilt of his sword. His heart was still beating rather fast, but for an entirely different reason now.

“I’m sorry, Prince Roman. I have a duty to do. I will come back, I promise,” Patton said, and with that, he left the infirmary, leaving Roman alone. 


	4. Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dragon comes bearing a message for Roman.

Prince Roman watched helplessly as Captain Patton left the infirmary. Why was there another dragon? Hadn’t they caused enough harm? Unless… unless this was the same dragon, and it had come back for Roman. His heart clenched in fear, less for himself but more for Patton. He had selflessly run to fight the dragon, and what was Roman doing? Lying in an infirmary, doing nothing. Well, not for much longer! Roman sat up and climbed off of the cot he was lying on. However, doing so caused a bout of dizziness to befall the prince. He groaned and blindly reached out, hand eventually coming to rest against the wall to help steady himself. A medic suddenly rushed over, and started to try and urge him to lay down again.

“No, I can’t- uhhn,” Roman groaned out, knees wobbling dangerously. The medic wrapped her arm around the prince’s waist, holding him upright.

“Your majesty, you need rest. Captain Patton can handle himself, I’m sure,” she assured him, guiding him back to the cot to sit down. Roman gave a sheepish smile to the medic, whom he now recognized to be Valerie, an old childhood friend of his.

“I- ah- thank you, Valerie. I should put more confidence in my trusted head of the royal guard,” Roman said half-heartedly, guilt and worry for the captain clenching at his heart. He couldn’t just abandon Patton! But Valerie was never going to let him leave her sight.

“It’s alright, your majesty. Now please, rest,” Valerie insisted. Roman opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by a roar, and a loud thudding sound that was too uncomfortably close. Roman wrestled his way out of Valerie’s grip, and dashed out of the infirmary. His injuries were screaming in protest, but the only thing running through his mind was:  _ I can’t lose Patton too. _

Roman ran down the hall, vaguely aware that someone was shouting after him. He ignored them, listening to the sounds of roars and crashing, growing louder and louder with each step Roman took. Roman finally reached the large antechamber, where the entrance to the castle was, and his heart caught in his throat. Captain Patton was facing off a large dragon, even larger than the one that had taken Logan. It had black leathery wings that were battle-worn, judging by the scars that crisscrossed over them. It had scales that were a dark emerald green, jagged black spikes trailing down its back, and gleaming black claws. One of the horns on its head was shorter than the other, and it looked like it had been sliced off. Its sharp teeth were displayed in a grimace, gleaming in the light. The dragon’s obsidian eyes were focused on Patton, who looked a little battered, but was still holding his ground.

“Where is the prince? You can’t hide him forever, guardsmen,” the dragon snarled. Roman’s blood ran cold. He knew that voice, but from where? Suddenly, a memory came flying back.

_ “You will pay for what you did to Coralie! You and your whole family, King Alastair!”  _ the voice had shouted, on that awful night. It was about four years ago, when Logan and Roman had been 17. The night their parents had been killed. And this dragon was the one that killed them. Anger boiled in Roman’s gut, and he clenched his fists.

“I’m right here, dragon!” he shouted, stepping forward. The dragon’s head snapped to glare at Roman, and the moment they locked eyes, Roman knew he had made a mistake. Here he was, injured, and without a sword, no less! The dragon laughed, and it was a grating, dissonant sound.

“So, this is the other prince? I must say, you’re not as impressive as I thought,” the dragon snarled, prowling closer to Roman. Patton dashed over to stand protectively in front of Roman.

“Do not fear, Captain, I do not wish to bring harm to the prince, at this present moment. All I want to do is give him a message,” the dragon crooned. Patton raised an eyebrow, but reluctantly lowered his sword. However, he stayed standing in front of Roman. 

“What is your message to me, dragon?” Roman asked.

“Surrender yourself to Dracodon Mountain, and no harm will come to your brother,” the dragon said. Roman’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“How do I know I can trust you?” Roman asked.

“I will give you three days. If you don’t come to Dracodon Mountain by the time the sun sets on the third day, Prince Logan will die,” the dragon snarled, and with that, it unfurled its wings, hitting the high ceiling above and causing some chunks of it to fall. Roman gasped and wrapped his arms around Patton’s waist, tugging the both of them to the side before a particularly large piece of debris landed on them. Roman unfortunately lost his footing, and both he and Patton went tumbling to the ground. A yelp of pain escaped from behind clenched teeth as Roman’s side was jostled in the fall. Over the ringing in his ears, and the spots dancing in his vision, he saw the dragon fly out of the entrance in the antechamber. Roman made a mental note to make the castle’s entrance not so grand and large, or at least take some precautions so that a dragon couldn’t fly in whenever it pleased.

Roman gingerly sat up, trying to not cause any further harm to himself. As far as he could tell, he hadn’t sustained any more injuries in the fall. He glanced over and saw that Patton was still lying beside him. Fear and concern clawed at his chest as he saw that the captain’s eyes were closed. He scrambled to Patton’s side, reaching out and placing a hand on his chest. Roman sighed with relief when he felt Patton’s steady heartbeat thrumming beneath his armored chestplate. His free hand went up to brush a stray hand of Patton’s hair out of his face, and his eyelashes fluttered at the contact.

“Patton?” Roman asked. Patton’s eyes blearily opened at the sound of Roman’s voice, and he blinked a few times, finally focusing his gaze on the prince.

“Your majesty? What are you doing here?” Patton asked.

“Saving you from being crushed. Are you alright?” Roman asked, helping Patton sit up.

“Oh, I'm fine! I just must have hit my head in the fall, that's all!” Patton insisted, scrambling to his feet. Roman frowned, but stood up as well.

“Are you sure?” Roman asked skeptically.

“Of course! Now come on, let’s get you back to the infirmary before the council finds out you ran out here,” Patton said.

“It’s a bit late for that,” a voice called out. Roman and Patton looked up to see two of the royal advisors standing before them. One of them was Thomas, who was possibly one of the youngest advisors on the council. The other advisor was one Roman wasn’t entirely fond of, a man named Arien. He wasn’t much taller than Thomas, but his posture demanded attention. He had once been the captain of the royal guard, but grew too old to be out in the field. Arien had wanted to choose the next head of the royal guard, but became furious when Roman had chosen Patton as the new captain, without consulting him first. Needless to say, Roman and Arien didn’t like each other very much.

“I apologize, esteemed council members, but I couldn't just lie around while a dragon was in the castle!” Roman said, standing tall despite his injury.

“With all due respect, your majesty, we need you to stay put. You are the last remaining heir to the throne,” Arien said, his voice stern.

“But that’s not true! My brother, Prince Logan, is alive! And I need to go to Dracodon Mountain immediately, or my brother will surely die!” Roman protested.

“What? Your majesty, what are you talking about?” Thomas piped up, stepping forward. Arien glared at the younger royal advisor, but said nothing.

“That dragon that just attacked came to bring a message. And the message was this: surrender myself to Dracodon Mountain in three days’ time, and my brother will live,” Roman replied. Thomas’s eyes at once lit up with hope, while Arien’s gaze became skeptical and scrutinizing.

“Your majesty, how do you know you can trust the dragon? Surrendering yourself to it may very well result in the death of both you and your brother. And then the kingdom of Solarius will be without their kings. What are-” Arien started, but was cut off with a vicious glare from Roman.

“Are you suggesting we abandon my brother? I will not stand idly by while there is a chance to save Prince Logan,” Roman said coldly. Arien gulped nervously, his cold and calculating facade breaking. He shook his head, and stood tall once more.

“I will inform the council of this matter at once. We shall let you know our decision in the morning,” Arien said, then abruptly turned and left the antechamber. Thomas gave an apologetic glance to Patton and Roman, then quickly followed after the older royal advisor. Roman and Patton stood in silence for a moment.

“Patton… if we wait for the council to make a decision, it will be too late,” Roman said quietly. Patton let out a long sigh.

“Then I won’t fight you on it any longer. What do you suggest we do, your majesty?” Patton asked. Roman looked taken aback for a moment, surprised that Patton was so willing. Roman then nodded, determination taking over his features once more.

“We leave for Dracodon Mountain. Tonight,” Roman replied, eyes blazing and fists clenched. No matter how angry the council got, there was no way Roman would abandon his twin. 


	5. Quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Logan reflects in his cell, while Roman and Patton head out on their quest to save Logan.

Prince Logan sat in his cell, his back against the cool cave wall, hands rubbing his arms in an effort to keep warm. Logan had long since given up on trying to determine what time of day it was, or how long he had been there. He still had little to no idea to why he was being held captive. The dragons were very vague, and Logan got chills down his spine when he thought of the dragon with fierce violet eyes, the one who had simply said “vengeance.” Virgil was the dragon’s name, if Logan remembered correctly.

The sound of footsteps approaching shook Logan out of his thoughts. He scrambled to his feet, daring to hope that maybe, maybe, someone had come to rescue him. But the steps were too slow, too methodical to be his brother’s, or even of someone in the royal guard.

A figure stepped in front of the bars of the cell, and Logan tried his hardest not to shrink away in fear. The figure was Virgil, and although he was in human form, his eyes still glowed a vibrant purple. Virgil reached a hand out, and Logan scrambled backwards so fast, that he lost his footing and fell to the cave floor with a thump.

“Easy, I’m not here to hurt you,” Virgil said, hands up in a placating manner.

“Like I would trust a- a… what exactly are you?” Logan asked, trying to keep his voice steady. Virgil huffed out a laugh.

“Dragon-shifter. And I’m only here to bring you a message,” Virgil said, crouching down to meet Logan’s eyes. Virgil’s strange violet eyes bore into Logan’s, but despite the intensity, Logan didn’t feel afraid. Instead, he felt… comforted? His eyes were like swirling galaxies, like the stars Logan loved to study in his books. Logan hesitantly shuffled closer, and Virgil seemed surprised.

“What is your message, dragon-shifter?” Logan asked, his voice calm and slightly breathy with wonder. He was trapped, completely mesmerized by Virgil’s eyes. Virgil gulped nervously, seeming slightly uncomfortable by Logan’s gaze.

“My father has given Prince Roman three days to surrender himself to us. If he fails to show… you will die,” Virgil said gravely. Logan’s heart leapt into his throat, and any sense of wonderment drained from him completely. If Logan knew the council of advisors in Solarius, there was no way that they’d let Roman leave. Logan was as good as dead.

“My opinion probably doesn’t count for much, but I am sorry,” Virgil said. Logan barely processed the words at first, the thought of his imminent death distracting him far too greatly.

Logan’s head shot up in surprise when he realized what Virgil had just said. He met the dragon-shifter’s gaze with a quizzical expression. He felt sorry for Logan? But why? It wasn’t as if Virgil had shown him any sort of kindness up until this point.

“You- you what?” Logan asked. Virgil snickered slightly.

“This whole ‘kidnapping the heirs to Solarius’ thing wasn’t really my idea,” he admitted. A small spark of hope flickered within Logan, and some of it must have shown on his face, because Virgil gave him a sad smile.

“I wish I could do something to help you. But my father…” Virgil trailed off, breaking away from Logan’s gaze.

“I understand,” Logan answered. This time, it was Virgil’s turn for his head to shoot up in surprise.

“Really? You’re awfully kind and understanding for a prince. And here I thought all princes were pompous and arrogant,” Virgil scoffed.

“And here I thought all dragons were heartless monsters,” Logan replied softly. Virgil’s face flushed slightly, and his eyes met Logan’s once more. They sat in silence for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes.

Virgil broke the silence by clearing his throat, eyes darting away from Logan’s. Logan hastily adjusted his glasses and suddenly found the cave floor very interesting. He was fairly certain he was blushing, but what on earth for?

“I- uh- I  should probably go,” Virgil said nervously. Logan nodded, unable to bring himself to say something. He heard Virgil walk away, and Logan didn’t take his eyes off of the cave floor until the sound of the dragon-shifter’s footsteps had faded away.

The scholarly prince slumped back against the cave wall. He mulled over what Virgil had told him. And as much as Logan wanted to be saved, he had a higher concern for his brother’s safety, and for the safety of the kingdom. It seemed death was inevitable. However… perhaps there was hope. Yes, Virgil clearly feared his father, but Logan had a sneaking suspicion that the dragon-shifter was much stronger than he let on. Perhaps even stronger than his father. Maybe all he needed was a push in the right direction…

* * *

Patton couldn’t believe he was actually agreeing to Prince Roman’s wishes. As much as Roman assured Patton that none of the blame would fall to him, he was still fairly certain that this escapade would cost him his title as captain. Especially with someone like Arien on the council of advisors. That particular royal advisor had it out for Patton ever since he became the head of the royal guard.

The captain shook his head, dispelling his worries and focusing on the task at hand. He and the prince agreed to meet at the stables, and quietly ride out of the kingdom to the woods outside Dracodon Mountain. From there, they would brave the dangers of the woods, and save Prince Logan. Hopefully. If whatever creatures in the woods didn’t kill them first, and if the dragons didn’t kill them immediately upon arriving.

When Patton reached the stables, Prince Roman was waiting for him. Instead of his usual white princely garb, he instead wore a deep red tunic with a leather jerkin over it, black trousers, and leather boots. His sword was strapped to his side, its hilt glinting in the moonlight. Despite looking more like a commoner, Patton was certain he had ever seen the prince look more regal. With his lightly tousled hair, strong frame, broad shoulders, sparkling eyes…

Roman cleared his throat, snapping Patton to the present. How long had he been aimlessly staring at the prince? Patton ran a hand through his hair sheepishly, silently thanking every deity that it was night, and that Roman couldn’t see how hard he was blushing.

“My apologies, your majesty. I was lost in thought. Are you sure you're ready for this? You've barely had time to heal…” Patton said, trying one last time to change Roman's mind.

“My brother needs me, I cannot abandon him,” Roman said firmly. Patton nodded solemnly, and walked over to one of the stable stalls to retrieve his horse. Patton’s steed was a beautiful chestnut brown mare named Sorrel. She whinnied when Patton approached her, and she nuzzled his outstretched hand.

“Hello, Sorrel,” Patton murmured, stroking her mane. He then got to work on saddling up Sorrel, who seemed confused by the captain’s actions. Patton gave his horse a comforting smile, patting her muzzle.

Soon Patton finished readying Sorrel, and he turned to Roman. His horse, a white stallion named Augustus, was already saddled and waiting beside the prince. Roman observed Patton with a somewhat faraway look in his eye, and the captain blushed again. Roman blinked, shaking his head and snapping out of his thoughts.

“I’m sorry, my captain. It appears I got lost in thought as well. Shall we be off?” Roman asked. Patton nodded, and the two of them mounted their respective horses, and rode off into the night.

* * *

The forest was eerily quiet. The only sounds were the horses’ hooves scuffing on the dirt path. Roman’s eyes kept on the shadows, half expecting something to leap at them from the dark foliage. Sometimes, Roman swore he saw shapeless figures moving in the darkness, but he blamed it on the fatigue that was beginning to settle on him in waves. His injury was taking a larger toll on him than he thought… but there wasn’t time to heal. Logan only had three days.

“Your majesty? Is everything alright?” Patton asked, shaking Roman out of his thoughts. He blinked, and focused his gaze over to Patton.

“Please, call me Roman, if you would? And everything will be alright once we get to Logan,” he replied, determination in his tone. Patton let out a small sigh, and although it was dark, Roman was certain that the captain’s expression was filled with concern.

“Roman, I know you want to save your brother, and I’m not saying that we shouldn’t save Prince Logan, but… are you sure it’s a good idea? Considering your condition and the fact that we don’t know if we can trust these dragons,” Patton said slowly, afraid of upsetting the prince.

“It is a bit late to go back, my captain,” Roman replied forlornly. The silence said what Roman did not. If Patton truly thought it was a bad idea, then Roman would not object to him leaving. Granted, the prince would continue on his own, but perhaps basically forcing Patton to accompany him was unwise.

“I wasn’t planning on leaving your side, Roman. Whether you’re a prince or not. And you can just call me Patton,” he said, and Roman wished he could clearly see Patton’s face, because he knew that he was giving Roman his signature soft, sweet and adorable smile.

“Thank you, Patton. I-” Roman was cut off by a rustling sound. His head shot up, hand on the hilt of his sword. Augustus whinnied, beginning to rear backwards slightly. Patton’s horse, Sorrel, seemed to be in a bit of a panic as well.

“Easy girl, it was probably just the wind,” Patton murmured, trying to comfort his horse.

Suddenly, thick, rope-like vines sprouted from seemingly everywhere, flying towards both Roman and Patton. Augustus and Sorrel neighed in fear, both horses rearing back onto their hind legs. Patton just barely managed to hold on to Sorrel’s reigns and stay mounted, but Roman had no such luck. The reigns slipped through his fingers, and he fell off the saddle, his back hitting the forest floor with a painful thump.

Roman’s vision was blurred, and he didn’t notice the vines creeping towards him until it was too late. They wrapped around his body, a yelp of pain escaping his lips as they clenched around his injured side.

“Roman!” a strangled cry came. He lifted his head the best he could, and his eyes widened in horror. The vines held Patton in midair, a cut on his forehead trailing blood down the side of his face. His sword laid useless on the ground, and both of their horses had run off.

“Patton- ah!” Roman cried out as the vines constricted around him tighter. He was lifted into the air, now dangling closer to Patton, but not close enough. If only he could free one of his arms and unsheathe his sword.

“Visitors? In my forest? How odd…” a small, childlike voice said. Roman and Patton’s gazes snapped down to the forest floor below them. A young girl with pale green skin, long dark hair that was dotted with flowers, and deep green eyes stared up at them, arms crossed. Her dress seemed to be made of leaves and flowers, and Roman’s eyes widened as he realized what this creature was. A nymph.


End file.
